The episode opens up with Meredith driving the carpool of Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital’s doctors. The car is filled with banter and gossip, about Owen and Amelia, Jo and Alex, Penny and how everyone hates her, Owen and Riggs; I wouldn’t be so shocked to believe that this was a car filled with fourteen-year-old girls, rather than world-class surgeons. Amongst the gossip, the doctors acknowledge a, “snow-like,” substance falling from the sky.
Upon arriving at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital, we learn that a huge wildfire has gotten out of control, and the hospital has to prepare for a mass influx of burned firefighters. At this point, Dr. Bailey is frantically searching through manuals, to try and find the protocol on hospital disaster; Dr. Bailey has been fighting for respect and recognition as Chief of Surgery throughout this season. Dr. Webber comforts her and explains that no manual she reads will tell her exactly how to handle such situations. He explains that the strength and talent to get through hospital disasters are not laid out and there is not, “typical,” disaster. Once Dr. Bailey preps the doctors on the situation at hand, the hospital is filled with firefighters, all having suffered severe burns as well as smoke inhalation. Amongst the patients, three are prominent:
Charlotte, Chief Casey, and John Finch.
Patient #1 The Cute Girl
Let’s start with Charlotte; she is in the emergency room after having suffered severe burns wounds on her butt. Dr. Arizona Robins is treating her, and the two end up flirting and bonding over the struggles and ethical dilemmas regarding their respective professions; Charlotte depends on horrific fires to get paid, while Arizona’s job depends on babies getting sick. Arizona has had such a hard time moving on from her (kind of) recent breakup with Dr. Callie Torres. At this point, I should know that the doctor-patient relationships that Grey’s Anatomy portray, are NEVER going to work out! But I still had hope, I mean look how cute they were! Poor Arizona can’t seem to catch a break; she’s tried everything up to using Dr. Richard Webber as her wing man. By the end, it turns out that she is already taken, and Arizona is back to the bars with Dr. Webber.
Patient #2 The Kind Old Man
Grey’s Anatomy makes it a point to offer its viewers a top notch, tear jerking patient moment, and this episode is no exception. The kind old fire chief was admitted into the emergency room having suffered severe burn wounds, which are later deemed fatal by Dr. Bailey. Knowing that there are many other firefighters waiting to be treated, Chief Casey insists that the doctors tend to the others first. As all of the tear jerking characters do, Chief Casey provided wisdom and advise to the doctors, such as Dr. Bailey in terms of her leadership skills, as well as Maggie and Andrew in regards to their inappropriate workplace relationship. Chief Casey, as well as other patients before him, are deaths that viewers are so often torn up about, having “Why did we need to kill the kind old fire chief in order to advance Maggie and Andrew’s story” or “Why did we need to kill the kind old fire chief in order for Bailey to understand leadership” moments.
Patient #3 Mrs. Hunt’s Cute Boyfriend
One of the firefighters ends up being Owen’s mother’s boyfriend, John Finch, who we learn in previous episodes, is much younger than she is. He is first admitted under the care of Dr. Grey and Dr. Riggs, who clash over the means of caring for him. Dr. Nathan Riggs continues to both confuse people, and get on everyone’s nerves; at one point in this episode Dr. Owen Hunt storms into the OR during John’s surgery and demands that Dr. Riggs be removed from the OR immediately, questioning his integrity and surgical skills. John had a very close call in surgery, but survived. After surgery, Evelyn Hunt goes to check on John and sees Riggs, who greets her like an old friend, calling her “mom.” We later find out, after Owen freaks out and punches him in the face, saying, “Stay the hell away from my family”, that Riggs isn’t his brother, rather his sister’s husband.
For the past few episodes, Dr. Amelia Shepherd has felt that Dr. Owen Hunt is keeping secrets from her, specifically his history with Dr. Nathan Riggs. Throughout past episodes this season, a number of rumors have been flying through the hospital, regarding this relationship. These rumors vary from probable to absolutely ridiculous, showing how the doctors in the hospital are equally, if not more intrigued than viewers!
By the end of this episode, Owen has apparently shared some of this information with Meredith; upon hearing that Owen has shared with Meredith rather than herself, and Amelia freaks out. Meredith and Amelia end up in a juvenile and dramatic screaming battle against each other, which ends in Meredith exclaiming that Amelia is no longer welcome in her home.
Meanwhile…
Jo is feeling neglected by Alex and bullied by the other doctors at the hospital. The episode closes with Jo expressing her discontent with their relationship, while Alex surprises her with a proposal (No Answer From Jo). And on top of all that, no one knows whether or not Dr. April Kepner and Dr. Jackson Avery are still together.
This episode was all over the place, and left me with my head spinning! Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital is, in my opinion, turning in Grey-Sloan Memorial High School.
It was nice to see, however, a break in the season that ended on less of a bang and more of a sizzle. Rather than getting angry over the death of a favorite character or left in complete disbelief, viewers are left with a million questions:
Who is Riggs?
Are April and Jackson Together?
Are Jo and Alex Together?
Will Meredith and Amelia Ever Make Up?
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